Transportation Committee to Dialogue with Keystone Coalition
Altoona Symphony to Host GRYP Event
Chamber Members Encouraged to Identify Legislative Priorities
Small Business Partners to Hold Program on Social Media
Dr. Bechtel-Wherry to Speak at December “Breakfast Club”
Inexpensive Opportunities Available to Sponsor Television Programs
Planning to Go With The Chamber to China? Sign Up Now!
“Buy Here. Live Here.” Planning Session Set for December 12th
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts

Transportation Committee to Dialogue with Keystone CoalitionAt Thursday’s meeting of The Chamber’s Transportation Committee, committee members will dialogue, via conference call, with Bob Latham, Executive Vice-President of the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors who also heads-up the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition. The Coalition is seeking ways to create a funding stream to offset the huge costs associated with upgrading Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure. The Transportation Committee is interested in potentially partnering with the Coalition. Any Chamber member interested in attending the committee meeting, which begins at 8:15 a.m. at the Devorris Center, should contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him.

Altoona Symphony to Host GRYP EventJoin GRYP (Growth and Relationships of Young Professionals) for its monthly networking event at the Blair County Arts Foundation in Downtown Altoona from 6-8 p.m. this Friday, November 30th. Mix and mingle with area young professionals, then take a stroll next door to enjoy some holiday tunes by the Altoona Symphony Orchestra (ASO) during their dress rehearsal at the Mishler Theater. Free appetizers and a cash bar will be provided. Cost is Free for GRYP members, $5 for non-members. To sign-up for the event, call The Chamber or register here. This event is hosted by the Altoona Symphony Orchestra.

Chamber Members Encouraged to Identify Legislative PrioritiesThe Legislative Action Committee of the Blair County Chamber is putting together its list of legislative priorities for 2013 and it’s asking Chamber Members to weigh-in. “It’s important to our committee that we learn as much as we can about what’s most important to the Chamber Membership,” acknowledged Matt Stuckey, who chairs the committee. “We also encourage anyone with more than a passing interest in legislative matters to join our committee. We have plenty of work to do.” A list of legislative issues is published on the Chamber Website. Members are asked to access the list and identify their top five issues. They can then either fax the list to The Chamber at (814) 943-5239 or email it to Joe Hurd. To access the list, click here. Small Business Partners to Hold Program on Social MediaThe Small Business Partners (SBP) committee will host an educational program entitled: Marketing Your Business Through Social Media: FACEBOOK. The program will take place Wednesday, December 5th from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Devorris Center for Business Development. Presenter Pam Mitchell of Keystone Connect will take an in-depth look on how the social media mogul Facebook can take your small business to the next level including tips and tricks, using insights, proper etiquette, placing ads and gaining page popularity. Cost to attend is $5 for Chamber Members, $10 for non-members. Space is limited to the first 40 registrants so register today by calling The Chamber at 943-8151 or registering online.

Dr. Bechtel-Wherry to Speak at December “Breakfast Club”Penn State Altoona has a dynamic impact on the economy of Blair County. It also plays an important role in the growth of our community. On December 13th, Dr. Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry, Chancellor at Penn State Altoona, will be the featured speaker at The Chamber’s monthly Breakfast Club. Her presentation, entitled “Penn State Altoona: Update and Engagement in Our Community” will look at local economic development initiatives that have heightened the University’s presence, particularly in Downtown Altoona. Dr. Bechtel-Wherry will also address some of Penn State Altoona’s priorities as it looks to the future. The Breakfast Club is held at The Casino at Lakemont Park beginning at 7:45 a.m. The cost to attend is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Corporate sponsor for the December Breakfast Club is Discovery House Blair County.

Inexpensive Opportunities Available to Sponsor Television ProgramsThe Chamber is featuring a number of informative programs during the next three months that will also give members an opportunity to get the name of their business or organization in front of the viewing public in an inexpensive way. On November 28th, two half-hour “Blair County: It’s Our Business” programs will tape for airing on the Altoona Public Access Channel in December. One program will be on local manufacturing; the other on local insurance. The panel discussion format will be moderated by WTAJ’s Carolyn Donaldson. On December 17th, two more BCIOB programs – one on local retail and the other on local restaurants will tape for airing in January. The cost for a business to sponsor a “Blair County: It’s Our Business” program is just $100. A business or organization can sponsor all four BCIOB programs for just $300. To sponsor, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him.Planning to Go With The Chamber to China? Sign Up Now!Anyone still undecided on whether to go on The Chamber’s next trip to China needs to make up their mind soon. A non-refundable $200 deposit which guarantees that a person will be part of the trip is due in the Chamber Office by no later than November 30th and the full payment for the trip is due by December 14th. The dates of the China Trip are April 12-20, 2013. For more information on the trip, contact The Chamber at 943-8151.

“Buy Here. Live Here.” Planning Session Set for December 12th The Chamber’s Buy Here. Live Here. program has made great strides since its kickoff in March. What the program is able to accomplish in the future will be the focus of a strategic planning effort to be undertaken on Wednesday, December 12th from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. Facilitated by David Duncan of Blair Medical Associates, the process requires feedback from interested Chamber Members. If you are a member of The Chamber and are willing to share your thoughts on local purchasing, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151.

Congratulations . . .. . . to Keller Engineers of Hollidaysburg, The Hite Company of Altoona and Home Nursing Agency of Altoona which have been named among the “100 Best Places to Work in PA.” for 2012.
. . . to Norfolk Southern which has been named one of the nation’s “Top 100 Military Friendly Employers” by G.I. Jobs. The magazine’s 10th annual list recognizes companies with the best military recruiting and hiring practices.
. . . to Makdad Supply Company of Altoona which was recently awarded the 2012 Signature Award by Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc. during Emerson’s Annual National Wholesaler Conference in Tucson, Arizona. To qualify, Makdad’s increased its sales by a minimum of 10% over 2011.

Blue Card DiscountsHere are a few of the discounts you can receive with your Chamber Blue Card. Click here to see the full list of Blue Card Discounts. To have an offer listed contact Stacy Hoover at The Chamber at 943-8151.